January 1, 2019 will begin the third year of a 4-year update to the way surcharge fees are calculated. This may affect customers who pay a surcharge fee. See information about the 2016 Surcharge Fee Update .

Note: Issuance fees are set to recover the cost of reviewing the application and issuing the control document (permit or authorization) only. This fee is not refundable and must be paid even if your project plans change and you no longer want to discharge to the sewer system.

Issuance fees for permits and authorizations

Issuance fees recover the cost of reviewing the application and issuing a permit or discharge authorization. This fee is not refundable and must be paid even if project plans change and a facility no longer intends to discharge to the sanitary sewer system.

Waste discharge permit

$6,000

Major discharge authorization

$3,000

Minor discharge authorization

$2,000

Letter of authorization

$1,500

Construction dewatering letter of authorization

$800

Compliance monitoring and administration fees

This annual fee pays for the cost of inspections, sampling, lab analyses, data review, overall management of the permit, and technical assistance.

Heavy metals

$0.003579/gal.

FOG (Fats, oils and grease)

$0.000382/gal.

Special monitoring fees

Variable

High-strength surcharge fees

Businesses that send “high-strength” or more concentrated waste to the sewer system pay an extra surcharge based on how much material is in their wastewater. High-strength waste contains a higher concentration of total suspended solids (TSS) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) than typical wastewater. BOD is a measure of organic material that uses up oxygen in the water. The surcharge fee covers the cost of treating this high-strength waste at the treatment plants.

Biological oxygen demand

$0.3861/pound

Total suspended solids

$0.4635/pound

Post-violation administrative fees

Facilities that violate the regulations are required to reimburse King County for the costs associated with the violation. Post-violation administrative fees include the cost of preparing enforcement documents and additional inspections. Based on King County Code, the Wastewater Treatment Division seeks to recover the full cost associated with violations from facilities that violate the rules.

Full enforcement action

$5,000

Enforcement - no further action

$2,500

Inspection

$535

Post-violation sampling and analysis fees

Facilities that violate the regulations are required to reimburse King County for the costs associated with the violation. Post-violation fees include the costs of preparing enforcement documents, performing inspections, conducting sampling and laboratory analysis associated with the violation. Based on King County Code, the Wastewater Treatment Division seeks to recover the full cost associated with violations from those facilities that violate the rules.

BNA (semi-volatile organics)

$1,605

Cyanide

$755

Cyanide (amenable to chlorination)

$1,005

FOG (nonpolar) set of 3 samples

$645

FOG (free-floating) grab

$505

Heavy metals

$695

pH (grab)

$505

pH (continuous)

$1,010

SETV (settleable solids)

$555

VOA (volatile organics)

$1,305

Fines

Fines may be imposed on facilities that have discharge, permit, reporting or King County Code violations. Facilities with violations may be subject to fines of up to $10,000 per violation per day. Dischargers are also liable for any damages and additional costs caused by their discharges.

Issuance fees recover the cost of reviewing the application and issuing a permit or discharge authorization to send industrial waste to the sanitary sewer system. The permit or discharge authorization lasts up to five years. This fee is not refundable and must be paid even if project plans change and a facility no longer intends to discharge to the sewer system.

Compliance monitoring and administration fees

This annual fee pays for the cost of inspections, sampling time, lab analyses, data review, overall management of the permit or authorization, and technical assistance.

High-strength surcharge fees

Facilities that send “high-strength” or more concentrated waste to the sewer system pay an extra surcharge based on how much material is in their wastewater. High-strength waste contains a higher concentration of total suspended solids (TSS) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) than typical wastewater. BOD is a measure of organic material that uses up oxygen in the water. The surcharge fee covers the cost of treating this high-strength waste at the treatment plants.

Post-violation administrative and sampling and analysis fees

Facilities that violate the regulations are required to reimburse King County for the costs associated with the violation. Post-violation fees include the costs of preparing enforcement documents, performing inspections, conducting sampling and laboratory analysis associated with the violation. Based on King County Code, the Wastewater Treatment Division seeks to recover the full cost associated with violations from those facilities that violate the rules.

King County Code specifies an appeal procedure for permits, authorizations, violations, and penalties.

To appeal the high strength surcharge, facilities must establish that the assigned concentration of the wastewater is incorrect. Consult with the assigned KCIW compliance investigator to learn more about this process.

KCIW provides appeal procedures to those being fined when it provides the Notice of Violation or Enforcement Action document.

No. Issuance fees are designed to recover the cost of reviewing the application and issuing the approval. The fee is billed when the facility receives the permit or authorization. It is not refundable because it is charging for work that was performed.

As a facility, you pay both industrial waste fees and sewer rates. King County treats the sewage from 34 local sewage agencies at five treatment plants. The local agencies bill residents and businesses for sewer rates and on-going industrial waste fees.

King County directly charges a capacity charge for new connections to the system. The capacity charge helps King County cover the cost of sewer improvements and expansion projects needed to serve growth in the region. You can find more information about King County sewer charges by reading the Rate Payer Report.